My Joy began with a fever on Sunday. She felt dizzy and just plain awful. I kept her home from church and hoped she’d be better the next day, but her fever was higher. The next day her fever was even higher. I’m normally not the one going to the doctor with every illness, but after three days this was still getting worse.
So Tuesday I loaded up all the kids at took them to a nearby CVS Minute Clinic. I LOVE this service! Since they are covered by our insurance, it just costs me a minimal copay to stop in and see a nurse practitioner. It was the longest we ever had to wait there. Everyone, it seems, is sick right now, but we finally got in and after the strep test came back negative we got a positive flu test. Joy had Flu B and already bronchitis. The nurse looked at me with all my kiddos sadly and said we’d probably all get it, if we didn’t already have it. That’s when I noticed that Grace wasn’t looking as chipper as she should be. Oh no…
I stood in line for our Albuterol prescription. There was a lady in front of me waiting to drop off her prescription who was talking to us and friendly. “You probably don’t want to get to close to us,” I told her. “We all have the flu.”
What she did next caught me totally off guard. She raised her arms and flapped them wildly as she practically ran about six feet backward! “Oh I don’t need that! I’m from out of town. I don’t want the flu. Oh no I’ll probably get the flu. That’s just all I need!”
I was actually a little embarrassed! “I suppose we’re like the lepers,” I said as the woman kept going on and on.
It was her turn in line and she literally threw her prescription at the lady behind the counter! The CVS worker looked quite annoyed and asked her to please come forward. “No way! They have the flu!” she accused and pointed at us with her whole arm.
The man behind us felt sorry for us I think. He smiled and said something like, “Poor kids.”
Yep we’ve got the flu, five out of seven of us by now! Prayers appreciated! 🙂
Wow! How obnoxious of her!!!!! Standing next to you isn’t going to give her the flu any more than just being out in public. That’s insane.
She thought you should be waving your arms and crying “unclean” I guess (like the lepers). Well, I left you the Sunday Joy got sick and don’t have it yet. I think the flu shot works, at least for me. I’m so sorry you are going through this and glad you got the doctor’s appointment before you came down with it. I can’t imagine taking everyone to the doctor when you are sick yourself.
All the doctor’s offices, clinics, urgent cares, and emergency rooms are the same way around here in Colorado – PACKED. It’s been horrible. I have so much sympathy for you. Someone in our house has been sick since December 23rd. None of us have gotten the official flu but we’ve gotten just about everything else. LOL I hope you all feel better soon!
Geesh! Some people! Does she think only healthy people get prescriptions filled? So sorry you’re all sick!!!! I worked in a pharmacy for about a year and was sick all the time!!!
Hope everyone feels better soon.
However, perhaps maybe you should have left the script, gone to the car and waited there until it was ready and retrieved it from the drive-thru? I know that people have to get out to get their scripts, etc., but you never know who might be standing next to you; someone with cancer, or other serious issues that suppress their immune symptoms; or someone pregnant or getting ready to have major surgery? I think that everyone has to do their due diligence to try NOT to expose those around them. The flu kills! Some people can’t have the shot (I am one) and would have to be hospitalized if I were to get sick. Please don’t take this comment the wrong way. I know your a SAHM of many small children and it sound easier than done. I will admit, her reaction was over the top, but being concerned, wouldn’t be. I may have said something along the lines of, “I’m sorry your all so sick. Perhaps, you might want to use the drive thru so that you don’t get others sick or you and your family doesn’t get sicker!” I certainly wouldn’t have acted like the world was ending (even if I thought it was).
Can you call your MD for the two that are not sick and get a script for Tamiflu so that if they start showing symptoms you have it and can start it ASAP (w/in the first 48 hours of the first symptom) so that they don’t get as sick?
One last thing, if you don’t hate me by now (sorry)…..did you all get your flu shots? I’ve been interested in knowing how many of the bazillion of people with the flu didn’t get the shot, had the shot and still got the flu (I hear the numbers are super high) and those who medically can’t get the shot and got the flu.
Again, I hope you are all starting to feel better. I had the flu a few years ago and spent 10 days in the hospital due to several health issues I have. If I wasn’t able to do a lot of medical “stuff” at home w/out help I would have been there even longer. I still received “treatment” at home for another 3 weeks after being discharged. It was not fun.
Take care!
If someone has issues with their immune systems, maybe THEY should go through the drive thru!!!!! In my humble opinion.
Maybe they don’t have a drive through. And packing 5 kids into the car with car seats to wait just to have to go back in – well that’s just not feasible. Get real.
And I agree with Melanie – if they have a compromised immune system the THEY are the ones that need to stay in. Being in public exposes you and if you’re too much of a germophobe to handle being alive, then just stay home. Being around things is part of living. I mean – obviously she was going into a place that has a clinic, so she should have been the one to have thought ahead. Like I said before – just walking in the door exposed her to everything floating around in there. Standing next to Esther and her clan didn’t make her more susceptible. How ridiculous.
So sorry to hear about everyone being sick… I commend you for keeping your cool when that lady was freaking out. Maybe next time you should get bubbles for all of them to stay in so they dont breathe on anybody else or what not.. um yeah just kidding… I went to doctor many times in last three weeks, we got flu, scarlet is on sec round of antiobiotics for ear infections, Gabe also got hives three times, etc… I remb wiping my kids nose and this old lady starring at me pissed off. I was wondering if she thought she was gonna catch something. Well I would hope that doesnt happen to someone that cant handle it but hey a doc office is meant to get sick people well. im not going to leave my kid in car or go thru drive thru and make em wait possibly longer when they feel horrible… im gonna hold my baby and just get thru the rough patch… THIS TOO SHALL PASS… I pray for Jesus’ healing and strength for your family. By His stripes you shall be healed.
Ugh. That’s all I have to say!
Boy, some of you are completely over the top! I’m just pointing out the other side! I also said that her reaction was over the top and she could’ve made her point in a more respectful manner! Obviously, if there was no drive thru than Esther did what she had to do! Everyone needs to take responsibility for themselves & be considerate of others! I’m far from a germaphobe, just trying to get by while watching a sibling die a grueling, horrible death! If I were to get sick, then I wouldn’t be able to be at the hospital or in her presence! I can’t always use the drive thru (I do when I can) because my large bottles of liquid medications will not fit through the drive thru device!! I would think it might be easier to wait 15-20 minutes in the car, than to expect your sick kids to sit still after spending a long time waiting to be seen! Melanie, Mari and Cherise; WOW is all I can say! I was not being rude just making suggestions that could have been easier for everyone! When in diress and sick you may not think of these things! Esther had her hands full & wasnt feeling well herself! But it apparently is all about you, you must be perfect! Esther, I hope the two that were well remain that way and those who are ill are starting to feel better! I apologize that my comment caused a problem; I thought you had a more mature audience reading! Take care!
JS – Sorry about your sister. May God comfort and strengthen you as you go through this very difficult time.
Oh dear. Yes I thought the lady’s reaction was a little over the top, and yes it embarrassed me a little, but mostly I just found it hilarious, which is why I shared it here. I’m sure that most of the time there can be improvement if we go back and analyze our decisions. Should I have used the drive-thru? There was one, and I actually did think about it, but waiting at the store was 15 minutes vs. 1 hour in the drive thru, and I did have a list of over the counter items to purchase. So in retrospect I would probably do it the same way. People are always free to disagree. 🙂 I do think it is important to be considerate of other people, which is what I thought I was doing in letting the lady know and stopping her from putting her hands on my children. Her reaction just surprised me, and I laugh every time I think about it. I wasn’t angry with her nor do I think she is a horrible person for her reaction. There is always another perspective! Thanks for sharing ladies!